Paddles In
Peering at the Hudson River from his window wasn't enough; Tim Gamble wanted access to it. Which is how he and many of the volunteers made their way to the Downtown Boathouse, an organization dedicated to providing access to the Hudson River.

An entirely volunteer-run-and-funded operation, the Boathouse offers free kayaking to all New Yorkers. According to Tim, first-timers "are amazed that there is all this great water here and there's all this great activity here that we never knew. They've been sitting in their apartments, riding the train upstate, or taking a trip out of the Jersey Shore. They don't have to do that, they can get in the water right here in New York."

Last year, over 12,000 people took them up on the offer, enjoying peaceful and quiet paddles just feet away from the hubbub of New York City.